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MEMO
Staying Alive And
Other Tips
BY
STEPHEN FRANKLIN
This
is an excerpt from an informal memo that Stephen Franklin, a veteran
correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, was asked by his
editors to write for staff members going on overseas assignment
for the first time.
Heads Up
If you are going into a physically risky situation, make sure
the travel route you are taking is well known and used by others.
It is wise to buddy up with another foreign correspondent for
the trip for mutual protection. If you have to make a road trip
over a dangerous area, you might consider two vehicles, which
will give you a backup in case something goes wrong with one of
the vehicles. Let someone you can count on know when you are leaving
and when you expect to return, and have them pass on the word
to the foreign desk if you don’t get back in time. The press
officer at the embassy may be one such person to rely on. If you
have a passport with an Israeli visa in it, you can sometimes
park a passport at a U.S. embassy while traveling in the Middle
East.
Always check your vehicle for gas and water and an emergency tire
if it is a long, dangerous route. In hot weather, hats, suntan
lotion, and water will help. In cold weather, rely on hats and
half-gloves that allow you to use your fingers. Take along your
own snack food in the event that there’s nothing safe to
eat (and even if there is, you might not want to eat it). You
do not always have time to search for food. If you are going into
a military-controlled zone, make sure you have the right passes,
and that they are expecting you. Frazzled soldiers are dangerous.
If you can’t get passes, or that is out of the question,
let the desk, and the U.S. embassy, if possible, know where you
are going and when you will get there. If you are going to be
away for a while and will transmit on the road, make sure your
computer is charged and bring along your charged spare battery.
In a pinch, you can get an adapter to charge your battery from
the cigarette lighter of most vehicles. Carry a cell phone with
you. In a crisis, one quick call will help.
Sick Beyond Belief
Don’t heal yourself. Don’t suffer needlessly. Get care
from a facility or physician recommended by diplomats or other
journalists. If you can’t get help, and think you can make
it to a nearby country where help is available, consider the possibility
and seek company on the trip.
Staying Alive
If gunfire is involved, remember that ricochet bullets are fatal
for long distances, so carefully measure your proximity to the
conflict. If the situation explodes, make sure you have figured
out an escape route and how to flee as soon as possible. A car
parked with nothing blocking its escape is a good idea. Not all
flak jackets are good protectors, but at the least a metal mesh
jacket that protects your chest and back will help. Wearing a
large sign over the jacket that says press in English and the
local language sometimes helps keep the snipers from centering
in on you. Keep your press passes handy in case you have to go
through a series of check posts — nervous soldiers are not
easy to deal with. In some cases, a standard military helmet is
a good companion. But be careful about wearing a metal helmet
or jacket when it is not needed: you make yourself a target. A
flashlight is handy in case you get cut off and have to walk in
the darkness. A compass will help you find your way.
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